Hazmat crews called to detain flight at Youngstown Warren Regional Airport
An Allegiant flight that landed at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport Sunday night was detained on the runway after a passenger became sick.
Passengers aboard Allegiant Airlines flight 892 said about halfway through the flight from Tampa, the chaos began, as a high school student in the back of the plane got sick.
"The stewardess ran down the aisle looking for an EMT or doctor, and the person was in the back of the plane that was sick. We didn't know what was going on," said Kristi Owen, from Akron.
Jeff Gambino's wife and 7-year-old son were sitting next to the young man, who was sweating, before he got sick.
"His eyes were rolling back in his head, when he was having convulsions, and then his head would go back and forth and they were trying to restrain them. He threw up a couple of times. Two, three, four times," said Gamino.
Other passengers on the plane were upset that once the plane landed no emergency personnel was allowed on board to treat the young man and no one was allowed off the plane for an hour.
A woman who did not want to be identified said, "After the plane stopped paramedics were there, so when plane stopped, they could have entered exits to evaluate situation adn take him to the hospital and they didn't."
The passengers on the plane who were coming from the Tampa Clearwater area were mostly upset about the lack of information they said should have been provided to them.
"All they could share was they were no longer in charge of the plane, that they were under the control of medical authorities of the Youngstown airport," said Jim Santangelo, from Youngstown.
The Hazardous Materials Team, the Airbase Fire Department, and Vienna Township Fire Department were called to handle the medical emergency.
The Director of the Youngstown Warren Regional Airport, Dan Dickten said he was told the young man had mental issues and possibly the flu.
"The gentleman had texted himself that he thought he had Ebola, or something like that, it was never said that he did. He does not, he does not have the same symptoms. Emergency folks have checked him out and cleared this," said Dickten.
Passengers on board worried that it might be Ebola but hoped for the best.
"But what it amounted to is the local fire chief made the call and said, 'Don't let them deplane'. I guess that's what they had to do with what is going on," said Dickten.
After at least an hour wait on the tarmac, and then not being told why their luggage was delayed for another hour, weary passengers sat on the floor or expressed their frustration at a lack of information.
"We have a young son and he was right there. We need to know something," said Gamino.
Dickten said he was told the CDC said it was not Ebola, however those who sat too close for comfort to the sick passenger say they won't rest easy until they officially hear more.
